Bill O'Reilly Boasts Controversial Remarks Boosted 'View' Ratings

Bill O'Reilly bragged to The View co-hosts that he'd improve ratings during a commercial break on his explosive appearance last Thursday. Watch the clip.
"It was not staged. In between the camera break, he said, 'I'm gonna show the entire clip on my show. It's going to play all over the nation… and it's really going to make your ratings," Sherri Shepherd said on Monday's "Hot Topics" segment when discussing the conservative Fox host's appearance, which ended with Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg storming off the set. Watch the clip on page two of this article.

The angry hosts told O'Reilly they didn't need his help. Said Goldberg, "That's not why we do this." Walters added, "We've been doing fine without you trying to make our ratings."

But on Monday, Walters admitted she knew O'Reilly would make news on their ABC show.

"This is a country that full of rage. We must be able to have conversations. That means all of it, without fury, without screaming, without obscenities," she said. "It's very dramatic. People love train wrecks. We are used to Bill O'Reilly. He loves to pull your chain. He loves to get you angry. I do agree the train wrecks make ratings."

She also made what could be considered a dig at CBS' The Talk, which premiered Monday.

"Part of the reason this program is is this successful and people want to copy us is because of the passion," said Walters.